Improvement in the mode of utilizing the currents of rivers



2 Sheets-Sheet i.

E. VALADE.

Mode of Utiiizing the Currents of Rvers.

N0. 84,618. Patentedlan.7,1873.

fllqj' Wafiewwew V @Wa9?@%- I 2 Sheets--Sheet 2 E VALADE.

Made of UtiHzing Hm Currents of Rivers NO.134,618. Patentedjan 7,1873.

AM PHUTUi/THOGfi/EFHIC CONX/OSBORNES PROCESS) ELIE VALADE, OF MEMPHIS,TENNESSEE.

IMPROVEMENT INTHE MODE 0F UTILIZING THE CURRENTS 0F RIVERS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 13 L618, dated January7, 1873.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ELIE VALADE, of Memphis, in the county of Shelby andState of Tennessee, have invented a Mode of Utilizing the Currents ofRivers; and I do hereby declare that the following is afull, clear, andexact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanyingdrawing making part of this specification, in which- Figure 1, Plate 1,is a birds-eye View of the bend or curve of a river, showing my in1-provement erected therein. Fig. 2, Plate 2, is a vertical front sectionof the same. Fig. 3, Plate 2, is a vertical rear section of the same.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the severalfigures.

This invention relates to a new and improved mode of utilizing thecurrents of rivers for the purpose of obtaining a force for drivingmachinery, as will be hereinafter explained.

The following description of my invention will enable others skilled inthe art to understand it:

In the accompanying drawing I have represented in outline the banks of ariver at a bend or curve, where the current sweeping around it will takethe course indicated by the arrows in Fig. 1. At a suitable point on thebank having the longest sweep I erect a bre akwater or abutment, A, of asubstantial character, which will deflect the current obliquely outwardtoward the center of the river. At the termination of this abutment downstream Iconstruct, of masonry, a wheel-house, D, and at the outer sideof this house I construct another break-water, O, which does not riseabove lowwater mark, and which presents an acute angle to the current.It will thus be seen that I have two walls converging toward thewheelhouse, one of which, A, rises as high as the wheel-house and theriver-bank, while the other will be submerged when the water rises inthe river above low-water mark. At the base of the house D is anoutwardly flaring circular chamber, in which I place a screw, w, whoseshaft has its end bearings in suitable journalboxes, one end of whichshaft is coupled with the shaft of a belt-wheel, h, in a well, g. At theupper end of the well 9 is a belt-wheel, h, which receives its motionfrom the wheel 12/ by means of a belt, and from which motion can betransmitted to any suitable machinery.

Instead of using a belt and pulleys in the well 1 the force derived fromthe screw to may be transmitted by spur-wheels and shafts.

At the front of the wheel-house, where the water enters it, and also atthe rear end thereof, I apply vertically-adjustable gates for thepurpose of regulating the influx and efflux of water through the chamberin which is the screw w. The two front gates t t are guided in a frame,b, and adjusted by means of cranks and screws a a; and the two reargates are guided by a frame, a, and adjusted by means of screws andcranks i. For the purpose of protecting the front gates t, as well as toprevent an accumulation of drift-wood and other substances in front ofthe wheel-house, I employ a deflector, B, which extends obliquely acrossfrom one abutment, A, to the other, 0, and rises as high as the abutmentA. This will break the force of the drift-wood, and direct it outwardtoward the posts on m, which rise from the abutment O. E represents anopen staging, which may be substituted by masonry.

From the above description it will be seen that a current more or lessstrong will be directed through the screw-chamber and rotate the screwtherein, the force of which current may be regulated by means of thegates at the ends of the wheel-house.

If at any time it is necessary to repair the screw or readjust itsjournal-boxes the gates can 'be shut, and after the water is pumped outof the screwchamber only, the well being always dry, persons can descendtherein and make the necessary repairs.

If at anytime it is desired to obtain motive power from the force of acurrent at or near the middle of a river, a floating structure may beemployed, properly anchored at the desired point. Or a permanentstructure may be made between the banks, in both of which instances thecurrent will be arrested between two converging walls, and the operatingparts will be protected as above described.

I am aware that it is not new to employ undershot-wheels in rivercurrents; also, to dam up portions of a river, and use undershotwheelsand overshot-wheels for the purpose of obtaining motive power forraising water and other purposes, and these I do not claim. The gist ofmy invention lies in the employment, in combination with convergent 2assess 1. The abutments A G, converging toward a screw, w, which isapplied in a Wheel-house, D, substant ally as and for the purposesdescribed.

2. The guard B, combined with the abutments A O, the latter one beingbelow or on a level with low-Water mark, substantially as and for thepurposes described.

ELIE VALADE.

Witnesses:

B. K. PLAIN, WILLIAM DUNCAN.

